Sliding doors
by Mcdawn
Summary: Harry and Draco are dating, Draco breaks up with Harry and Harry leaves to go travelling with a broken heart. Neither one realising that there was more to the consequences of their split than they realised and when Harry returns those consequences will be realised. slash Harry/draco.
1. Chapter 1

"I don't understand…" Harry looked helplessly at Draco feeling his break into a thousand little pieces. After everything they had been through together Harry had been sure that Draco felt the same way he did, but here stood Draco half naked in front of Balise Zabini who actually was naked on the bed watching the scene unfold with a smirk on his face that told Harry he was trying to say Draco belonged to him and he was not disappointed as Draco's next words confirmed this. "What were you expecting Harry? That I'd fall in love with you and we'd live happily ever after? I'm sorry if I gave you that impression but I'm not ready to relinquish my bachelor ways, Blaise understands this, he gets me." Harry just nodded his head and did something that left both Slytherin boys gaping like fish, he fire flashed out of Draco's dorm room.

Harry hadn't had the strength to walk out of there, he flashed to his dorm and sank down on the floor of the room and cried his heart out. He felt like Draco had reached inside his chest and yanked his heart out leaving him bleeding on the inside. He hadn't even realised that his feelings for the blond ran that deep until he saw him with someone else. He couldn't stay there he picked up his school trunk and made his way to Gringotts. He had been putting this decision off for too long. Eighth year exams were finished there was no longer any need to stay at school, he didn't need to be there personally for graduation they would send all his paperwork via owl.

The decision to leave had been stalled by his relationship with Draco. He had told himself that if things went well with Draco he wouldn't leave as he would have something to stay for but now after what he saw, Draco being intimate with Blaise and what he said there was no longer any reason to delay his plans. He was going to travel around the world.

Originally it had been a plan between him and his two best friends at least until they got together and began making new plans for their lives. Harry couldn't begrudge them that. They wanted to get jobs immediately to save up for their wedding. He would have offered them money but that was a sore issue with Ron, he knew it was a lost cause. Harry made arrangements for his travels the port key, money, shopping i.e. clothes magical tent, a new trunk with rooms he furnished for comfort if he ever got stranded as well as for safety. As Harry prepared he realised he had never really spent much on himself if at all.

The only things he had ever bought were necessary, like school things. He decided to go all out on his wardrobe after all what was the point of being rich if he did not get to spend his money. He had the Potter, Black, Gryffinddor, Slytherin and Lestrange vaults, the latter two gained via rights of conquest. He would buy more staff as he travelled. After making the necessary travel plans with the goblins who had given him a spell to use to obtain languages from the local of the places he visited Harry returned to Hogwarts to say goodbye to his friends. He didn't want to just disappear and have them worry. He found them outside by the lake just strolling. "Hi guys!" Hermione and Ron turned and smiled as they saw Harry. Ron as the first to speak "Harry mate where have you been? We haven't seen you all day. Even Malfoy didn't know where you were when we asked him and you two are always together."

The pain Harry felt that morning rose again to the surface ad he wasn't quick enough to hide his grimace when Ron mentioned Draco's name. Ron's ire could be seen as he saw Harry's reaction. "What did that ferret do?" Hermione reprimanded Ron "Ron stop that. We don't know what's going on yet don't jump to conclusions." Then she turned to Harry and said "Are you ok Harry? Did something happen with Draco?" Harry knew he would have to tell them sometime and they would find out anyway so he told them what happened.

"You know how how Draco and I have been seeing each other?" He watched as they nodded and he continued "Well apparently, I was more invested in the relationship than he was because this morning I found him sucking off Blaise and he asked me what I had been expecting, he also said he was not ready to relinquish his bachelor ways and that Blaise understood him. Well the only reason I hung around here was to see if things could work out between us, you know I never wanted to come back for eighth year I did it for a chance to be with him but I suppose I was deluding myself. I only just came back to say goodbye to you two. I'm all packed and ready to leave. I was also hoping you could tell Mcgonagal that I left. I don't think I can handle talking to anyone else right now." Hermione ran to Harry and hugged him before saying "Oh Harry I'm so sorry." Harry hugged her back but then he saw over her shoulder Ron approaching Draco whom he had failed to notice further down the lake leaning against a tree with Blaise's head on his lap. It was too much for Harry who pulled away from Hermione and said "I'll write often and fire call occasionally I promise." With that he flashed to the edge of the wards and activated his port key leaving Hogwarts for good.


	2. Chapter 2

Four years later …

Twenty one year old Harry Potter left the monastery he had been staying in for two years. If he was honest with himself he had been judgemental about the monks to begin with. When they had offered to teach him what they knew he had been sceptical not realising the honour and trust that had been placed in him. Someone able to train as an elemental was a rare find and finding someone willing to pass the knowledge was even more rare considering how easily the knowledge could be abused Harry did not know that Voldemort himself had tried to get the monks to teach him when he found out about them and was refused. Harry had found elemental spells easy for him to use before and had even managed fire travel not unlike a phoenix.

What he didn't realise was that it was not normal to be so attuned to elemental spells to the point of using them the way he did, most wizards could not manipulate them enough to use them on themselves like that. Now he was not only able to manipulate fire but the other elements such as water, earth, air and lightning. He was also now an expert in mind magics, a feeling of fury crept up on him when he remembered his lessons with the potions master Snape. The monks had told him that the way Snape had gone about it was the best way to take down anyone's mind defences and erode them to the point of never being able to raise any shields. If the lessons had gone on any longer Harry would have never been able to defend his mind no matter how hard he tried.

During his stay with the monks Harry embraced his parselmagic. Surprisingly there were a couple of monks who spoke parseltounge just like him and they knew the magics involved in bringing out his true potential. Under the tutelage of the monks Harry blossomed. The monks treated the damage done to his body and mind during his childhood. It made him see how pathetic and weak he had been especially for running away like he did. Despite all the good it did him being away and finding himself he should have been able to stand up to Draco after what he did to him and not allowed him to dictate his actions like that. It didn't matter anymore. Harry was different. He was more confident and powerful. He knew what he wanted out his life. He wanted to go home back to his friends.

XxxxXxxx

Harry had finally grown after waiting for a growth spurt for so long. At least he wasn't as short as women anymore. The monks that treated him told him that he would never be particularly tall and five foot six was as tall as he was ever going to get. He was not skinny anymore, he was athletic and had some muscle built up from his constant working out as he trained with the monks. They had also managed to get rid of his scars from his childhood as well as teenage years fighting voldemort. He grew out his hair to tame it and it reached just below his shoulders and the contacts he wore allowed his green eyes to be noticeable instead of being hidden behind glasses. Even if Harry didn't notice he had changed from the nervous scarred shorthaired skinny boy who had started out traveling four years previous to a confident good looking hunk radiating power.

Shopping was an essential after he left. He needed to update his wardrobe if he was going to be seen he was going to look good while he did it. Not needing portkeys anymore due to his elemental abilities Harry flamed to Paris before making his way to the Burrow. It was his favourite place to shop as the tailors there knew what he liked. Dressed in tight black pants and a green silk shirt that made his eyes pop out he was on his way to surprise the Weasleys. He had not spoken to any of his friends ever since he stayed in the monastery. He couldn't wait to see them. Hermione had told him in her last letter to him that she and Ron were going to wait till he got back to have their wedding. They absolutely refused to tie the knot without him there, he had thought he could out stubborn them and they would have their wedding anyway as he did not know if he wanted to go back at that time. Going back would have meant facing his fears about Draco.

He knocked on the front door after he arrived and a flustered Molly opened the door. The look of irritation melted when she saw who was on the other side of the door. Harry braced himself for a rib cracking hug he knew was coming and wasn't disappointed. Molly screamed "Harry ! You came back, you're here. I was beginning to think I would would never see you again." She had tears running down her cheeks making Harry feel really guilty for leaving especially without telling her or keeping in touch. It wasn't that he hadn't missed her but he had felt as if he was intruding especially with Fred's death when the family was in mourning. He hugged her back and felt the warmth and love he always felt around her. He cried too and realised that no matter where he ran his home was here it always was.

When she finally pulled away from him she held him at arm's length and said "let me look at you, have you been eating? I better make sure I have more food cooking. I have to say you look much healthier, oh come inside Harry, here I am prattling on while standing at the door and you are probably starving." Harry smiled at the familiarity of it all. He hadn't had a chance to answer her questions but he didn't mind. He walked inside and immeadiatley saw George asleep on the couch. Harry felt even worse for leaving. He hadn't considered anyone by leaving. He didn't know how George was coping even though Hermione had always said everyone was fin it was different seeing them that hearing them. He allowed Mrs Weasley to lead him to the couch and finally managed to let her know that yes he was fine and that he had been eating, which was something she had to concede as he looked healthy.

He sat down next to George and thought about pranking him to wake him up but thought better of it so shook him awake instead. "Hey George!" George woke up looked at harry with bleary eyes before they cleared up as soon as he recognised Harry. "Harry?" Harry smiled then hugged George who was bewilded seeing him. "When did you get here?" Answering Harry said "Just arrived actually I would have called but i wanted to surprise you guys." George had a happy grin on his face when he answered "I'm glad you're back mate. It just wasn't the same without you here."

He turned sombre for a bit as he said "I hoped you would come back. I was worried we had lost you too, Ron and Hermione kept hoping you would. I'm sorry we never told you how much we care for you. Hermione said you felt like you were intruding and that was why you wanted to leave. That's not true you know, you just as much a part of our family any of its members." "Thanks George. That means a lot to me." Their talk soon turned to Harry's adventures as he travelled Molly brought them a snack and sat down to chat while they waited for the rest of the family to come home from wherever they spent the day. Seeing everyone after they all came home made Harry wonder where the need to leave had stemmed from. Charlie, Bill, their wives and children were visiting as well. By the time he made his way to Grimmauld place that night Ron and Hermione had set the date for their wedding in a couple of months' time.


	3. Chapter 3

The next few days were spent between the Burrow and Grimmauld place with Kreature. He decided to redecorate the place and get rid of the dark oppressive gloom in the house. Hiring contractors to gut the floors get rid of the dreary furniture and repaint the walls in lighter shades made a huge difference in the place. All the dark objects found in the house were placed in the vault till he could get someone to go through it and dispose of it with any risks to other people. The change in atmosphere seemed to change Kreature's mannerisms too. He didn't call Harry derogatory names anymore and actually suggested to Harry to take down the wall that held the screeching portrait of Mrs Black s there was no other way to take off the wall.

The manor actually looked like a home once Harry was done furnishing it. The top floor held two suites ,the master suite and the heir's suite as well as a huge study with quite a collection of rare books. The second floor had twelve guest rooms, four bathrooms and a huge library that would have put the Hogwarts one to shame in sheer size. He would have to show Hermione as she would put the books to better use than he would.

The bottom floor consisted of rooms such as the drawing room, dining room, sitting room, receiving room, what looked like a miniature hospital wing with about four beds and items he had seen used by Poppy on himself, there were other rooms he wasn't sure what they were there for with the exception of the potions lab in the basement. He wondered what he was going to do with so much space. He made sure he used what he learned on his travels to get his electrical gadgets to work with electricity. His place became very popular with his friends and family as they came and went.

When he was settled Harry called Andromeda Tonks to ask about Teddy his godson. Originally he had wanted to take Teddy with him but she wouldn't let him. She wanted to be a part of his life too, so instead of travelling the a one year old Harry left him with his grandmother and made sure that he was well taken care of financially. Other than Hermione and Ron the only other people he kept in contact with were Andy and Teddy. He had not told her he was around yet, he wanted to settle in first and now that he had done that it was time to see his godson.

XxxXxx

Harry took Teddy out for ice cream after picking him up. Andy told him that she was not coping as well as she would have liked with the child. He could tell it was very difficult for her to admit this so he reassured her that he was back to stay and he would help her with him whenever she was finding it difficult, she only needed to let him know he would do what he could. Teddy was a meamorphmagus and he had morphed His hair, eyes and face to look like Harry. People who passed by them did a double take at the two when they saw them. There were whispers about the boy who lived having a kid. Whispers that reached the ears of a certain blond who happened to notice Harry as he picked Teddy up to carry him as they were leaving.

The first thing he noticed was the changes in Harry. When they dated he found Harry cute and strangely shy which was what he had not expected. The boy didn't think much of himself at the time and Draco found it a bit annoying although the way he orchestrated for Harry to find him with Blaise was a bit over the top, he hadn't known how to tell the boy he was no longer interested. It was those eyes that always made the words stick in his throat and unable to do what he had done to so many and that was to just dump him.

Looking at Harry now made his heart flutter and he decided right there and then to seduce him. They never actually had sex while they were dating although they did other things for mutual pleasure, this time Draco wanted to go all the way. He would need to find out whether Harry was with someone, he doubted it as it would have been publicised he had gotten married. So who was the kid? He looked too much like Harry not to be his. Well he would find out. He walked quickly towards Harry and called his name. "Harry!" Harry looked up and saw Draco rushing toward him, He scowled at Draco then flamed out as soon as he got close leaving him standing there alone saying "Ok I wasn't expecting a warm welcome but that was a bit much." He looked around and saw people staring at him and the spot Harry had just left and decided to walk away.

He decided the best thing would be to get to Harry through his friends, but the Weaslys and Granger would not talk to him. He would have to be sneaky. He needed Pansy.

Draco headed home and fire called Pansy. "What do you want Draco?" Draco smiled at his best friend and said "Come through I need your help." This was usual for Pansy. Draco always called her at least once a week to him either dump some poor schmuck or pick up another one. Since he had dumped one the day before it was probably a pick up. "Aren't you starting a bit early this week Draco? You usually wait a couple weeks or so before you go for another one. One of these days it's going to come back and bite you in the arse." As she finished speaking she flooed to the manor and continued "Who is it this time?" Draco answered "Potter !" she grabbed the floo powder and was about to throw it to go back home when Draco grabbed her hand to stop her and said "What?"


	4. Chapter 4

She turned to him in fury and said "What do you mean what? I'm not helping you hurt him again Draco. What you did to him was vile and cruel even for a man whore like you. You deliberately hurt him knowing how he felt about you because you were too much of a coward to break up with him like a decent hum being. You forget what he went through protecting us in the aftermath of the war. Not only keeping us from being imprisoned but keeping everything our parents forfeited when they were convicted so we wouldn't end up impoverished, he protected us from others who sought revenge for our parts in the war and you just had to use him for your own gain and then throw him away as if he meant nothing. Now you want to get back into his pants? If you think I'm helping you then you're the biggest idiot I've ever met. If you want to go and fuck every Tom Dick and Beelzebob then go right ahead but you stay away from Harry you've done enough. Do you even care for him or is this some obsession that you still have with you old rivalry with him. Some need for revenge for an imagined slight?"

Draco let go of Pansy's hand during her tirade. He didn't remember Potter being hurt that badly. Sure he had looked a bit upset but who wouldn't be after being dumped. "Pansy you are exaggerating Potter knew I wasn't serious surely that was obvious. I never made him any promises after all. Besides if he was as upset he you say the was then he won't have any problem getting back together again we never did go all the way back then so I will be offering him something different this time around. Besides I've been thinking about settling down anyway. Harry's different now. He's no longer the skinny little runt he was before, he filled out very nicely. "

Even Pansy shallow as she was, was gobsmacked by the sheer audacity and stupidity Draco was displaying. He had not grown up. She realised there and then that it was probably just as much her fault as it was his. She indulged him every time he asked her to help with his sex life. She realised that instead of helping him learn to respect his partners she had helped him to learn to use them before getting rid of them. It had been just the two of them for so long she didn't even realise it till now.

She took his hand and made him sit next to her on the couch before saying "You haven't heard a word I said did you?" Draco scowled at her and said "Yes I did and I think you are blowing it out of proportion. I just need you to help me tell Harry how sorry I am about the way the way things ended between us, convince him that I am ready for commitment and I'll have him eating out of my hand in no time."

Pansy shook her head and said" Draco, do you remember what Weasley did to you after you and Potter split up. You were in the hospital wing for three days out cold with almost evry bone in your body broken and Blaise had to be transferred to st Mungos after Granger was done with him. They couldn't remove the curse and Granger let him suffer for six months before she told them what spell she used and refused to tell them the reversal they had to research it themselves and that took another two months. They were never convicted or even tried for it and with Potter gone we had to leave the school as soon as possible because you kept being attacked. If you pursue Potter again and hurt him again the consequences will be much worse. I am not getting involved in this one."

Draco winced as he remembered the brutal beating he got from Weasley. He never got a chance to fight back. Blaise didn't even help, he just watched as Ron did what he wanted at least till Granger hit him with a spell that not only lengthened and thickened his cock three times its normal size but made it sentient o as it buggered him every ten minutes. He was kind of glad that Granger had decided to let Ron use his fists instead of using her wand against him. By the time they managed to find a reversal Blasé 's arse was never the same again. The repeated buggering loosened it so badly there was no fixing it. At least Blasé never had to worry about not being able answer nature's number two call, it just fell out.

Draco decided if Pansy was right. Was it really worth it? What did he really want from Harry? If he was honest with himself the reason he had agreed to date Harry in the first place was because he had a chance to humiliate him and make him feel the rejection he felt when Harry rejected his friendship. At the time it the offered olive branch didn't matter to him but now things had changed. Potter was no longer the scruffy little hero in the aftermath of war but a gorgeous hot guy that Draco could see as a life partner. He wanted Harry and that was who he was going to get. "Yes Pansy I remember very well thank you, but I've decided after what I saw today and what I know of Potter he is perfect for me. I am able to brew the potion we will need to have an heir maybe two to continue the Potter line too if he wants and seeing as he will be the one to carry them to term I suppose he can have two." Pansy lifted an eyebrow and said "You treated the guy like garbage what makes you think he'll want you back?" Draco just smiled condescendingly and said "I told you I know Harry. He's quiet and shy and surprisingly submissive. I can be persuasive." Pansy got up and said "You know nothing about him anymore Draco. You have seen him or spoken to him in four years, people change and oh by the way Harry is head of five houses so his names takes precedence for whatever children he sires. Not to mention he's a lord twice over with Gryffindor and Slytherin. When you get over yourself let me know because I'm not sitting here listening to the rubbish coming out of your mouth."

Stopping her again Draco spoke "Pansy please. I know this is not going to be a walk in the park and that I am exceedingly arrogant, overzealous, selfish pratt but I am truly genuine in my pursuit for Harry. I can't say whether or not I made a mistake breaking up with him before because I wasn't ready then but seeing him now I need him." Pansy pulled way her hand and said "It's not me you need to convince." She left a brooding Draco whom she knew was like a dog with a bone when he wanted something but this thing with Harry could backfire something cronic.


	5. Chapter 5

Draco knew it was not going to be easy to get Harry back but to him that only made it a challenge. Before she left Pansy reluctantly told him that the child Harry had been with was not his son but his godson a metamorphmagus who could will his features to look like Harrys. He was also happy to note that the little kid was his cousin and lived with his aunt Andromeda. He began to write a letter to his aunt asking to get to know the last of his family.

XxxXxx

Teddy was really excited as soon as they flashed into the pallor of Grimmauld place where he was staying overnight. He said to Harry "You can floo without the floo. That was awesome! Can you teach me? Can we go again?" Harry laughed at his excitement and flashed him around the house a few times and the last time using his water element by turning both their molecules into water then splashing across the room before changing back earning himself squeals of excitement from Teddy.

"If you are good I will teach you how to do that later today." Harry supposed it would be a good idea to teach Teddy how to travel in a way that other wizards would not expect. It would mean he would have a fail safe method of getting out of dangerous situations should Harry ever be unable to protect him. Seeing as Teddy only had a magical core and no elemental one Harry would need to make a connection from his elemental core to Teddy.

It was the way he had been taught by the monks before he could access either one of his own cores. They told him he could do it as well for one person any more than that and he could kill himself by over exerting his core. After feeding Teddy and having lunch himself Harry sat Teddy down and told him he was going to teach him how to travel like he did with water but he needs to settle down and relax. When Teddy was ready Harry reached out with his magic to find Teddy's magical core. He had decided against the fire element because it was the most difficult to control it might endanger Teddy. However the water element would allow Teddy to not only travel but breathe underwater too. He connected Teddy to that one before teaching him how to use it. "Aww BUT Harry I want to learn how to floo without the floo."

"Sorry Teddy but playing with fire is dangerous your grandmother will kill me if I did that although when you are older and have learned how to control your magic, I will teach you then ok?" Teddy sulked for a second before saying "ok but you have to remember what you said, maybe you better write it down cause when people start getting old they tend to forget things like grandma. She sometimes forgets to take me to the park when she says she will and I have to remind her." Harry couldn't help it he laughed. As he said "alright Teddy I'll write it down." The afternoon was spent with Harry teaching Teddy how to manipulate the water.

He would do it for him so he could get a feel for it and tell him to try and remember the feeling of turning into water then try and copy it himself. It took the better part of the day but in the end Teddy could go from one side of the room to the other without Harry helping him. Harry had been worried about being exhausted as both him and Teddy were using his core but clearly that was not the case. Thinking back to his own training he remembered after practice that the monk who was training him only complained about being hungry afterwards but didn't look drained making his worries about sharing his core groundless. After dinner Harry got Teddy to have a bath then put him in bed and read to him. When Teddy fell asleep he could feel the connection he had made that day humming contentedly. He wondered if he had somehow created an empathy link as well because he could feel Teddy so strongly through it. As he switched off the light while he was leaving the room he figured it didn't matter if he did he wasn't breaking it unless there was some negativity towards Teddy.

Sitting down on his bed Harry realised he had been putting off dwelling on his cowardly flight from Draco earlier that day. He knew he couldn't keep running and would have to face him at some point. He wasn't the same stupid Gryffindor who fell for a guy who used him before having his own feelings thrown in his face anymore. That naïve boy was gone. He knew there was no fool proof way to completely protect from heartbreak but there was no way he was ever going to blindly go after someone like Draco Malfoy again.

XxxXxx

The next morning Draco sat opposite his aunt Andy as she wanted to be referred to as. She was so happy he wanted to connect with her and Teddy it actually made Draco feel bad for not doing it sooner. It wasn't as if he was still prejudiced against the people his father had taught him to look down upon, in fact he had been revelling in self-pity over how he had no-one left after his parents were locked up for their crimes.

"I wanted to contact you after what happened to your parents but the last time I tried getting in touch with your mother she told me you did not want anything to do with me and to never approach you. That was just after the war while she was waiting for her trial." Draco felt and anger toward his mother for making a decision about his life without telling or asking him about it. "She never even mentioned it to me. I never really thought about to be honest. They both taught me to look down at people they regarded as inferior. Not that that is an excuse but it just took me a while longer to get out of that mentality and see the lines of prejudice."


	6. Chapter 6

While they sat there and talked Harry flashed in with Teddy and his things. He had a long day ahead of him and he wanted to get things done. Without noticing Draco he began to speak "Hi Andy, I've brought Teddy back for the day I'll pick him up this evening after six." Andy got up from where she was sitting a hugged Harry who still hadn't noticed Draco behind him. "Harry sweetheart how are you this morning?" Then turned to Teddy and hugged him just as Harry answered I'm good, I just need my coffee fix and all will be good with the world." He then crouched down to Teddy's height smiled cheekily and said "Why don't you show grandma what I taught you yesterday?" Andy who was still hugging Teddy got the shock of her life as Teddy dissolved into water soaking her and then reappearing beside her.

Harry and Teddy laughed at the look of shock on her face as she said "How did you do that?" Still smiling Teddy answered Harry taught me yesterday, he said when I'm older he'll teach me how to do that with fire like how we came in. It's much nicer than popping. There's no squeezy feeling and not being able to breathe." Harry continued "I taught him how to use the element of water to go from one place to another. He actually learned it much quicker than I did." Andy was speechless as Harry continued "I taught him as a failsafe in case there is ever a time he's in danger and we can't protect him. I'll teach him how to manipulate other elements too when he's older…"

A voice behind him spoke "You're an elemental." It wasn't a question rather a statement of someone who seemed to be seeing the final piece of a puzzle and it suddenly made sense. Harry turned and saw Draco behind him. He had not noticed him when he came in, he figured it served him right for not scanning the room before he got in. He had just assumed that Andy would be alone and he had told her he would be arriving at ten with Teddy. He quickly got over his shock and squelched the desire to flee like he was fast becoming accustomed to. He would not allow this man to chase him away from Teddy. "Malfoy what are you doing here?"

XxxXxx

Draco had hoped that by being around Andy and Teddy long enough he run into Harry and reaffirm their relationship from there. He felt his heart race faster when he heard the whoosh of Harry's fire travel just as he had heard it before. Harry appeared in front of him in a column of fire with little Teddy beside him. He watched him interact with Andy and felt a pang of jealousy when he saw how close they were and how easily they interacted. When he had been dating Harry he knew there were very few people he allowed to touch him and he was not one to initiate it in the first place, something he never quite understood the reason for. Of course as time went on Harry loosened up and reciprocated but it was only with Draco he did that. Watching him now he could see a completely different person. Harry was more confident and hands on if the way he interacted with the child was any indication. He tried to find the shy boy he had known before but he found nothing. When Teddy did his little demonstration and said Harry taught him it clicked in his mind.

The clues had always been there, the hair that defied gravity, the way he always came out of situations that a normal human being would never have survived, the uniqueness of his eyes that always shone with power and not even mentioning the biggest giveaway the fire travel. Truthfully the dark lord never stood a chance against Harry. Elementals were powerful even when they are not aware of their status and here Harry was seemingly unaware of what he had. How had he managed to teach Teddy anyway? Could he teach anybody to do it? He found himself speaking before he knew it. "You are an elemental.." Harry turned to him and his face changed from happy to a blank before saying "Malfoy what are you doing here?"

Draco felt a little hurt that Harry was referring to him by Malfoy instead of Draco like before. "He calmly answered "I came to see Andy and Teddy." Harry felt his eye twitch in irritation as he realised that there had to be a reason Draco was suddenly interested in renewing his acquaintanceship with Andy. He took ahold of Teddy and said "If you think I'm allowing you anywhere near Teddy you've got another thing coming. I know of you reputation Malfoy I will not expose my godson to that. Why are you all of a sudden interested in them anyway? You never showed any interest before why now?"

Draco quietly answered "I know it seems sudden but just wanted to get to know them. They are the only family I have left. I wasn't even aware that I had a cousin until I saw you with him yesterday and Pansy told me who he was." Harry turned from him and said Andy do you mind if I keep Teddy with me today? It'll mean over the weekend too as we'll be at the Burrow over the weekend getting ready for Ron and Hermione's wedding. Let me know when Malfoy leaves and I'll bring him home." Having taken note of Draco's luggage in the corner Harry knew Draco was staying for a while.

Andy had wondered about that too, however she did not want to alienate he nephew before she gave him a chance to redeem himself. She also thought Harry had a point about exposing Teddy to someone as fickle as Draco. She also knew of his reputation. Perhaps he truly was trying to find a way to reconnect with her but she did not want Teddy to get caught in the cross fire. So when she heard Harry say he would take Teddy with him for a few days she didn't argue. She didn't want to throw Draco out he had asked to stay for a while, she would give him a chance but until she could trust him she believed Teddy was better off with Harry.

"Okay Harry that's fine but you better tell me what you teach him next time before giving me a heart attack." She laughed as she hugged both Harry and Teddy then said "You better hurry up Harry those goblins will not be happy if you are late. I will owl Teddy's things later today…" Harry stopped her and said "no need I took Teddy shopping yesterday and bought everything he needs so he's got staff here and at Grimmauld less of a hassle that way with carrying staff back and forth. I will fire call you later." He kissed her cheek then took Teddy's hand before fire flashing out of there.


	7. Chapter 7

Harry arrived outside of Gringotts where he had an appointment with his bank manager. With Teddy in tow looking like a miniature Harry chatting none stop about everything and nothing at same time and seemingly not needing a response as he didn't stop or wait for a reply they walked inside to begin what was to be a very long day.

Harry had decided he was going to take charge of Ron and Hermione's honeymoon plans. He had the perfect place for them to go to and he was planning on giving it to them as a wedding present. It was a chateau on a magical island close to Hawaii. He knew Hermione had always wanted to go to Hawaii but had yet to. He himself had visited the place and it occurred to him at the time that his two best friends would love it there.

On the island was a professional quidditch arena where international players were trained and picked for national teams, there was also a library so huge it was in a castle almost as big as Hogwarts. There was plenty of privacy and the scenery was beautiful. He figured it could be a great second home for them whenever they wanted to leave the country for a while. The best thing about it was that the house was one of his from his inheritance. He had lots of houses he had inherited from his inheritance. The chateau came from the Gryffindor line. He needed it upgraded and warded for habitation after being empty for so long. He was going down there to furnish it and hoped Teddy wouldn't be bored.

That evening he fire called Andy to let her know that Teddy was with him at the chateau and he had finally finished getting everything ready for the honeymoon couple. The place was huge almost as twice the size of Grimmauld place as it had twenty bedrooms not including the master and mistress suites which were located in their own wing in another part of the house. Harry found house elves in the house seven of them. They wore a uniform with the Gryffindor crest on it.

When he spoke to them he told them that he was gifting the house to someone else. If they choose to they can stay here and continue to look after the house like they always did or follow him to Grimmauld and he find some other work for them. Two of them chose to go back with him the rest stayed, they were bound to the chateau so they would not lose their magic die if they remained behind. It made him wonder about his other properties. Were there house elves there too? He would have to find out.

While he was talking to Andy he figured she might know how to find out if there were elves in any of his other properties without having to go to every single house. "Hey Andy do you know how I can find out without having to travel to every property I own if I have any house elves in them?" Andy looked at Harry as if he had grown another head and said "Harry please tell me that at some point you went through your inheritance and know what's going on with it." Harry had a sheepish look on his face and said "Well that's mostly what I'm doing now. I know I should have done it years ago but you remember the state I was in then. I just left the running of the businesses to the goblins and I have to say they did very good job. I couldn't have made such good investments myself if I tried. All I did was give them an incentive to want to make money for me. The more money I make the more that they make. Most of the other wizards are too prejudiced to really notice that what a goblin does best is make money. Every single vault I inherited has at least twelve times the amount of money it started off with and you know those weren't just knuts in there."

Harry would have kept on talking if Andy didn't stop him. "Okay Harry I get it, I still can't believe you left organising your inheritance until now. Anyway to answer your question you can use the rings you got when you claimed your inheritance to summon any house elves you might have no matter where they are. You might want to make sure you have lots of space when you do, considering the fact that you are not sure how many you are going to summon. Most will probably want to renew an old bond like the Gryffindor elves or create a new bond with you like the Lestrange and Slytherin elves with you unless they are already bonded to a property or are a Potter and Black elf who are already bonded to you."

She spent the next few minutes explaining to Harry how to use his ring to do this. At the time Harry wanted to ask if Draco was still there and what he was up to. Harry would be lying to himself if he said he was unaffected by the blond's presence. He wasn't overwhelmed like he expected to be and the pain he felt when Draco had summarily dismissed his feelings was not there, there was however an acceptance of the situation. He still liked Draco that way but he felt it was time for him to move on with his life, well love life anyway. He didn't want to end up a thirty year old virgin. That just did not bear thinking about.

By the time he finished talking to Andy he felt better. He decided that he would take Teddy to Molly and take George up on his offer for a guy's night out. It would be a great way of putting himself out there and let everyone know he was back in the game of dating. "It can't be that difficult can it?" He couldn't help asking himself. I'm sure George will be able to point it out if I do anything wrong." It was the first time in a long time that he wished that Ginny could have been the one for him, but she married Neville right out of school and had a set of twins a year later. It would not have mattered anyway even if she had not been with Neville he was as bent as they came.

XxxXxx

Harry spent the next day sightseeing with Teddy they arrived at some hot springs that randomly shot pressures of water out of sink holes. Normally it would have been too dangerous for them to go there but as an elemental Harry could safely take Teddy with him to see them and even play in them. As they had fun playing in the mud and randomly being shot in the air Harry noticed something on the other side of the sink holes. He grabbed Teddy and told him to splash home. Harry felt Teddy get through wards letting him know he was safely out of reach then approached the area he noticed that it was a person lying there but he was completely covered in mud Harry couldn't make out any features.

Harry reached out with his magic to check for any ill intentions and whether or not the person was still alive. He didn't sense any danger and the man was barely alive. He called for one of the house elves." "Tinky!" the house elf named Tinky popped up beside him and said "Yes master Harry." Harry had given up trying to make them stop calling him master Harry and said, " I want you to take Teddy to the Burrow. Fire call Mrs Weasley and ask her floo here to pick up Teddy. Then I need you to fire call a healer and bring him/her to the chateau as soon as you can." Tinky nodded then popped away to do as she was told. Harry flashed the man into one of the guest rooms. He used his water element to clean the mud off the man he had found at to say he was shocked would be an understatement.

XxxXxx


	8. Chapter 8

Lying on the bed unconscious was Draco Malfoy. He looked thinner than he did when Harry saw him at Andy's house. He had a small scar on his eyebrow and under the ripped shirt Harry could see the criss cross scars of the sectusempra curse he had hit with when they fought in a bathroom before the war ended. His hair was much longer as well although it lacked the illustriousness it usually had. However Harry was fairley sure this Draco was taller and looked more war hardened than the one he knew. There was also a subtle difference in his magic. It wasn't anything bad it was something familiar as if at some point their magic had been intertwined. Despite the differences and as far as he could tell this man was Draco Malfoy. Just not the same Draco Malfoy he had known most of his life.

Harry waved his wand and accioed a set of pyjamas from his room. He then waved his hand again removed the ripped clothing off Draco and dressed him in the pyjamas at the same time. The door was opened and Tinky let in the local healer whom Harry had yet to meet. He seemed to be a no nonsense type of man. "Good day my lord, you summoned me?" Harry not used being called my lord despite his lordships decided to leave the matter for another time and moved from the side of the bed and said "Yes I did thank you for coming so fast. I found him lying in the mud by the hot springs I don't know what is wrong with him I can barely feel a pulse." Noticing the man lying on the bed the Healer got to work immediately on his new patient.

Harry sat on a chair a bit further away from the bed to give the healer space to work. He watched as spells were cast potions spelled into Draco's stomach and a quill on the side writing down diagnosis and what was being done to the patient. Finally after what felt like the longest half hour of his life the healer stopped and began putting his things back together. Harry got up and looked expectantly at the healer who obliged him with what he wanted to know.

"Well it looks like he's been living rough and is malnourished. He was magically drained although I cannot tell how that happened and a history check on past injuries shows a lot of exposure to dark magic although nothing that can't be overcome. He should be awake in about a day or so, I gave him a strong sleeping draft he needs rest to restore his magical core to normal. I have written down a list of what he can eat when he wakes up and what potions he will need. I will be back tomorrow for a check-up if anything comes up call me and I will come back." Harry thanked the man then had Tinky lead him out to the apparition point.

He went to the fire place and fire called Molly who answered immeadiatly. "Harry dear are you alright?" Harry gave her a smile and said "I 'm fine Molly thank you for taking Teddy I had an emergency here and that's why I sent him over. I'm not inconveniencing you am I? I know I didn't ask …" Molly smiled and said "Oh Harry don't worry about that. You know I don't mind and Teddy is welcome here anytime. In fact he's playing with Ginny's twins as well as Charlie and Bill's kids. You should bring him more often so he can get to know us too. You do what you need to do and take your time, I've got the girls here today as well to help with the kids. Will you be coming over for dinner?" Harry smiled and said "Sure I will but I won't be able to stay afterwards. I'll also bring a change of clothes for Teddy. I'll be there in time for dinner tonight." Molly beamed when Harry told her he would be making it for dinner it made Harry feel like an arse because he had promised to spend more time with them and he had let other things take precedence. "Ok I'll see you later Molly and thanks again."

Harry came out of the fire after speaking to Molly then went and packed overnight clothes for Teddy before going to check on his house guest. He would have the house elves checking up on him while was at dinner till he got back. He hadn't seen the girls in a while even though he fire called them and owled them it just wasn't the same. He needed to check with Andy if Draco was still with her. He knew the man lying in the guestroom was not the Draco he knew and grew up with but he had to check. He assumed it must be some kind of time travel but also dismissed that because they seemed the same age and people didn't grow taller after a specific age.

The talk with Andy just left him with questions even if he had known that they were not the same person. He was just going to have to wait until the man woke up. He went and took a shower then changed into black trainers, jeans and a red t-shirt. No-one was ever formal at the Weasleys and after tying his hair in a pony tail he made his way to the guest room to check on his guest. He was quite surprised when he walked in to find him sitting up in the bed eating some bread and soup which Tinky was helping him with. Tinky saw Harry and said "Master Harry your guest woke up while you were in the shower. I gave him his potions and soup like you told me to."

Harry thanked Tinky and looked at the man now staring at him with complete shock and tears falling down his face and he made no move to stop them. The raw pain Harry saw in his eyes made him step back. He didn't know how to handle something like this.

He gathered all his Gryffindor courage walked up to the bed sat down beside Draco and gathered him in his arms in a comfort gesture. He figured he would speak when he wanted to. Draco didn't resist he allowed Harry to hold him and held onto him as tightly as he could through the shaking as if he would never let go. The tears were now followed by sobs that pulled at Harry's heartstrings. Harry ran his hand through Draco's hair murmuring words of comfort. He wondered what happened to him to make him like this.


	9. Chapter 9

Tinky had long removed the dishes and Draco had managed to cry himself to sleep. He looked so vulnerable in his arms he didn't want to let go and put him down to sleep. Instead he lay down with him for while before getting up to leave for the Wealseys. He told Tinky to stay with him till he got back and if anything happens to come and get him. After straightening out his clothes and picking up Teddy's overnight bag Harry went to the Burrow for a couple of hours.

The main reason he left was to check on Teddy. Not that he thought he wouldn't be fine with the Weasleys but he had kind of sent the kid away without telling him why and he didn't want him to get to the wrong conclusions and assume he had done something wrong. After reassuring himself that Teddy was indeed fine and having fun being around all the other kids Harry relaxed. He also had a second ulterior motive for coming to dinner. It was something he had been thinking about for a while now and decided to talk to Molly and the rest of the girls about it. Molly, Andy, Ginny, Fleur, Penelope and Jennifer Charlie's wife were all housewives. They didn't have a particular job and Harry had noticed the frustrations they felt at times especially while at home without their spouses. He didn't know if they would agree but he hoped so, he had already started on renovating and warding Slytherin castle for his plans.

After dinner he approached Molly with his idea. "Molly I was wondering if you would agree to undertake a little project with me. You and Andy would be in charge of making final decisions on it but I would like to include Ginny, Fleur, Penelope and Jennifer as well. I haven't spoken to the others yet as I have been getting all the legalities sorted out with the ministry and Gringotts. However the idea is to have a place for all our kids to start learning at earlier age than 11. I know I would not have struggled half as much if I had learned some things a bit earlier. While I stayed with the monks they showed things that have been forgotten over time. Things children were taught before they could perform magic making it easier for them to grasp their education later on. I've got books in my library that show you what to teach them and when. I also have pensive memories of classes to give ideas of how to go about the lesson plans. I know it will be a lot of hard work but it will be worth it in end. I've seen the results."

Molly didn't need to think about it and said. "Harry that's a wonderfull idea. It also gives some us old girls something to do and look forward to. It wasn't long before all the girls had been spoken to and Molly told him she would speak to Andy as well. By the time Harry left they had made plans to start on it right after the wedding. He returned to the chateau and realised he would need to move out of it. The wedding was in a few days and he needed to have the place clear for the honeymooners.

He had the house elves pack his stuff and send it to Grimmauld place then he flashed Draco to another guest room there as well. Draco woke up just as they arrived. He looked a bit disoriented before noticing Harry and he seemed to remember. He reached out to touch Harry's face and whispered "Harry, I thought you died. I saw you die how..?" As far as Harry could remember the only time he died was in the forbidden forest when Voldemort hit him with the killing curse but he had come back to life then but he did not remember Draco being there. In fact he was sure Draco had been in the castle at that time and his mother had saved his life by lying to the dark lord. "What's the last thing you remember Draco?"

We were on the run it was just us two left from the order. Everyone else was gone and we were being hunted. You were doing something with runes I don't know what it was but you were also using your blood to draw them. You made me sit in the circle and said I had to stay there till you finished. When I tried to stop you, you cast a body bind on me and made me stay still. We were attacked just as you finished whatever you were doing but you had also lost a lot of blood and couldn't fight back. The rune circle I was pulsing with magic. I saw you get hit with no less than ten cutting curses and even then you kept pouring magic into the rune circle. The curses couldn't get through to me and I couldn't get out to help you. They threw exploding curses till there was nothing left and I was pulled from there I passed out and woke to your house elf who told me how I had been found and brought there by her master."

" How old are you Draco?" Draco frowned at the question and said "Twenty one why?" Harry answered "…because I think that perhaps you have been brought here from an alternate universe, you are the same age as my Draco so you can't have travelled back in time unless something really drastic happens soon, do you think you could give me a memory of what the runes looked like. It might be easier if we know what we are dealing with."

Draco felt a sharp pain in his heart as Harry said my Draco. If he really was in another world then it's probable that this Harry was with his counterpart. They were soul mates after all. Why would it be any different here? His Harry was gone, dead. He nodded his head agreeing to show Harry the memory. Harry called Kreature and asked him to bring a pensive and Draco something to eat as well.

XxxXxx


	10. Chapter 10

Coming out of the memory Harry knew that what happened to Draco was in an alternate universe. He recognised the runes the other Harry used. It was a shield written in runes in the blood of someone who was trying to protect someone he loved. It would not have worked if they were not soul mates and loved each other unconditionally. It also required sacrifice. Pretty much the same as his mother had done only this time it sent the one to be protected to a place of safety where the soul mate still resides. Meaning Harry's counterpart had hijacked him.

Harry wasn't sure how to feel about that. It wasn't so much that he had a second soul living inside him but another essence now combined with his own. He wondered when this had happened. It can't have been recent or he would have noticed. It had to have been gradual until the essence was completely a part of him. It also meant that he had wanted it too or it would not work and the essence would have moved on to find another Harry in another world. He remembered his talk with Andy and his resolution to move on from his Draco. It made him open to completely accepting whatever was left of the essence and finally bring Draco to him. He knew those runes like the back of his hand. They weren't the only ones he knew but he had adjusted them and changed the negatives that came with it allowing freedom of choice even if it was done unconsciously. He explained what he knew about the runes to Draco and his own version of adjustments he made to them in case he ever needed to use them.

Draco decided to ask "They may have worked to bring me here but you mentioned that you are with my counterpart so that part of the ritual to Harry's essence here didn't work." Harry sat on the side of the bed next to Draco and said "Actually it did. I didn't actually say I was with your counterpart he broke up with me years ago. I saw him again yesterday for the first time after four years. I suppose I can't blame you for thinking that after I referred to him as my Draco. I was just trying to distinguish a difference between you."

Draco's heart beat faster in his chest. He wanted Harry but he was confused at the same time. Harry saw the confusion his face and said "Some of the decisions we make have a greater impact than we realise. At some point your world and my world had to have been one otherwise you would not have been able to be here. Sometime in the past a choice was made that split our world into two. I know this choice has to do with the war because in your world you were still at war but that didn't happen here. I like to refer to it as sliding doors. It reminds me of an old movie I watched about a woman who one day came home early from work to find her husband in bed with another woman effectively kicking him out and striking out on her own and another version where she misses the train her counterpart had taken and by the time she gets home her husband has removed all evidence of cheating and she remains in the dark both choices had a huge impact where she was successful in one and died in another. Perhaps if we tell each other what happened previously till we find the split and we might know how things changed."

They compared notes on their lives and realised that the split started with his relationship with Draco. This Draco never cheated on Harry nor did he break up with him meaning Harry never left to travel. It was Harry constantly protecting Draco that led to anger being ignited amongst those who wanted revenge and a civil war started amongst the wizards. In the end purebloods who were still in power unlike in Harry's world where the power had been distributed between all races, which was another difference, started hunting down anyone who they decided was plotting against pure bloods. The muggleborns and halfbloods fought back each side recruiting other races against the opposing side. The order tried to form a third faction to try and get both sides to calm down but this was seen as a betrayal by both sides and they were hunted down. There wasn't much left of the wizarding world and Harry told Draco he had a plan for them both and this was the result.

Harry wrapped his arms Draco and said "We'll work through this together Draco, I know I'm not your Harry but I already care about you." In his head all Draco could think was "...but I want you to be my Harry. You're him. I can feel it."

Later on that night while lying in his bed Harry reflected back to when he left the monastery. He felt like a completely different person. It was probably when the merge began. It would explain his new confidence, wanting to enjoy his life and it might also be why he had suddenly become powerful enough to control the elements that he did and why he didn't notice a power draw when Teddy used the water element. He heard a scream and rushed out of his room to Draco's room. He was kicking, thrashing and screaming but Harry could tell he was caught up in a nightmare.

He made his way to the bed and managed to stop thee thrashing and tried to comfort him through it. "Draco, it's ok it's just a nightmare. You're ok you're safe." Harry's voice calmed Draco down and he woke up. Seeing Harry he held onto him like a lifeline and cried "Don't leave me Harry." Harry lay next to him while still holding him and said "I'm here I'm not going anywhere." They both fell asleep after Harry managed to reassure Draco that he was not going anywere.


	11. Chapter 11

In the morning Harry realised he had forgotten to tell the healer that he had moved Draco to Grimmauld place and he wouldn't find anyone at the chateau. Draco was awake too and he told him he was going to fetch the healer to check him over just to make sure he didn't miss anything the first time. So Harry had Draco take a shower. He made sure Tinky was close by as he went and got cleaned up as well before picking up the healer. By the time he got back with him Draco was back in bed having breakfast.

XxxXxx

That evening Andy fire called Harry to let him know Draco had left and he could bring Teddy home now. Teddy had stayed at the Burrow as Harry didn't want to leave Draco on his own. He would need to tell his friends about this at some point but he wanted Draco to be stronger if he had to face them because he knew what their initial reaction would be. They would not be merciful. He took Teddy home and returned to find Draco had left his room and was now sitting in the living room watching tv.

He turned to Harry as he flashed in and said "I would have never thought I'd see the day when Grimmauld place was light and airy. What did you do gut the place and rebuild? I remember trying to help you and the Weasleys make it a little more homey but it always darkened no matter what we did." Harry laughed and said "That's pretty much what I did. I also got some help from the goblins to get it like this plus using the elements to clear out the dark magic made it impossible for the darkness to cling to anything."

Draco smiled with him as Harry sat down next to him. He curled up on Harry's lap and stayed there. He couldn't help it. He felt safer and more complete in his arms and Harry didn't seem to mind as he immediately wrapped his arms around Draco and held him. Harry broke the quiet that descended "You know this feels very familiar and new to me as if this is the way it usually is between us." Draco nodded in agreement "I know." He looked into Harry's eyes and said "When you got back it felt like I just got back something I hadn't realised I was missing till you sat down beside me." His hand was behind Harry's head and he pulled him toward himself kissing him before he could say anything in answer to what he had said.

Draco wasn't sure if it was the trauma of losing Harry then finding him again but the feelings that were coursing through him were exquisitely painful to bear. He whimpered when Harry pulled back a little before kissing him back. Tears fell from his eyes and Harry wiped them away. He whispered "I love you so much." His breathe hitched when Harry reciprocated "I love you too."

XxxXxx

Harry had never felt so many emotions all at once. His own feelings and Draco's feelings churning inside him until he thought he would explode. It was just a kiss. If a kiss could do this he wondered what he would feel if they went any further than that. He figured he would drown in them repeatedly. He could see why his counterpart had chosen to sacrifice himself for Draco, especially if he felt even half of these feelings overwhelming him. He felt Draco's tears and wiped them away. Then he heard Draco say something that made his heart soar "I love you so much." He didn't even hesitate to say it back and he knew he meant it. Harry carried Draco to his room where he held all night and there were no nightmares.

Waking in the morning and seeing Draco lying on his chest still asleep was doing things to Harry's libido. Slowly he crawled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom for a nice cold shower, he needed one. After his shower he found Draco still sleeping and decided to let him sleep in. He would fire call his friends and let them know about him but he would not let them anywhere near him if they were hostile. He left a note for Draco letting him know he was just downstairs using the floo and he should wake up he would find him in the living room.

He called Hermione and Ron and asked them to come over, when they were all sat at the table in the kitchen he told them about Draco. Harry was quite surprised at Ron's maturity and letting Harry finish before going off on one, Hermione noticed and smirked "He's growing up Harry I know it took a while but he's maturing." Ron looked at them both and said "What are you talking about?" Hermione shook her head and said "I spoke too soon." Making Harry laugh and Ron annoyed. Harry waited for the verdict when he finished telling them what happened. Hermione knew the runes Harry was talking about. She even helped him with some of the work on them. It was both of them's backup plan if things had gone down south during the war. Ron was Hermione's soul mate too.

It was Ron who spoke up first "Can we meet him? We won't harm him unless he's a threat but you have to understand that we need that reassurance that he's good for you." Harry reluctantly agreed He had seen Ron's overprotective side in action before. "As long as you both understand that he is recuperating and I won't take well if you make him regress, that means no threats or harm of any kind." Just as they were both agreeing Draco walked into the room. " I thought you said you'd be in the livi…" He stopped when he saw Ron and Hermione at the table. Harry gestured to him to come closer and when he did he was pulled into Harry's lap making him blush in embarrassment. Ron and Hermione smiled and said " hi Draco. Nice to meet you." Draco answered "You too." Hermione got up and pulled Ron up as well and said "Well we better go, do you want us to tell everyone else for you?" Harry nodded then said "Yeah but just make sure it does not reach the prophet please." "Okay Harry we'll see you at the wedding we'll add an extra place for Draco to sit with you."

XxxXxx

As soon as they left Harry pulled Draco into a kiss and said "I'm glad you're finally up now we can have breakfast." Draco laughed as Harry's stomach gurgled indicating that he was indeed hungry.

Andy was the second person he floo called and told about Draco. He wondered about how he was going to introduce him to the outside world and decided to ask him. "Draco, you know you have a counter part in this world and you need to have a separate identity from him." Draco nodded and said "I had my name changed when the civil war started. I wanted nothing to do with my father so I took my mother's maiden name. "That could work, it will also place under my protection as I am lord Black as well as a whole bunch of other names. I swear I have the longest name."

Draco laughed at Harry and said "Inheritances?" Harry smiled back said yeah and even after all this time I haven't gone through them. I need to do that after the wedding. Which reminds me we need to get you clothes to wear to the wedding and then a whole new wardrobe." Draco began to panic. He didn't like crowds, they were not the most friendliest places to be. After one too many attacks in a crowded place with no easy escape he developed a phobia. Harry saw the panic and said "Draco it's ok if you don't wish to come. It's probably too soon for you. You can stay here and I will occasionally flash in to check on you and have Tinky around in case you need anything. I will have a scrying mirror in our room where you can watch everything." He kissed him effectively calming him down, when they separated Draco said "That works better than a calming draft." Harry laughed as he kissed him again then called Tinky to bring their breakfast.

XxxXxx

Pansy sat in a chair beside Draco in a comfortable sitting room in Malfoy manor. Draco was still going on about Harry. "I've written him a letter asking to meet with him after the wedding. I haven't sent it yet. Pansy please help me with this, I know you think I'm going to do to him what I usually do with guys but this is different. I've always had a thing for him, you know that I'm not even sure why I broke up with him. I mean every other guy I dated was a one night stand except for Harry." Pansy shook her head and said "Draco I can't help you with this. I'm sorry. If by some miracle you did manage to get him to give you a chance and you got bored again it won't be you with the short end of the stick. I'll see you after the wedding."

Draco got up and said "Wait you got invited?" Pasny realised she had let slip what she had been trying to keep from him. "Yes Draco I did get an invite and no you will not be my plus one." She decided to just be straight with him. She was not getting involved no matter how much he begged. Draco knew a lost battle when he saw one and decided to go it alone. He had been having dreams of Harry lately where he would wake up painfully hard or his sheets and pyjamas covered in sticky stuff. He had started sleeping in just his drawers. He sent the letter to Harry before making his way to his room to brood.

The wedding was beautiful. It was in the Weasley's backyard and Harry could see just how happy the couple were. One of the highlights of the day were that morning when he avenged the prank George set on him to wake him up that morning a shrieking howler with Molly's voice screaming at George about leaving his pranks lying around. It not only frightened him but Draco as well who had been sleeping peacefully in his arms. They were both up screaming an Harry throwing lightning and fire all over the room. When his mind calmed enough to look around he saw Draco was surrounded by some kind of shield he could feel connected to his core, as he demolished the room from fright.


	12. Chapter 12

When the screaming and the demolition stopped Harry heard just outside the door "Bloody hell, remind me never to wake you again." Harry who had been standing on the bed looked around at the damage. The whole room was destroyed. This was where he was glad he had not kept things that were special to hi in the room. Instead they were in his study looked behind wards. As he helped Draco get up the shield disappeared. "Are you okay?" Draco was shaking form the encounter and Harry shouted "George I'm going to kill you."

All he heard was running downstairs and the woosh of the fire place. He took Draco to another bedroom and laid him on the bed and said "I'm sorry." Draco kissed him and said "It wasn't your fault." Harry shook his head and said "Yes it was, I lost control. I could have hurt you." At this Draco smiled and replied "Actually no you wouldn't have, your first instinct before you let loose was to shield me. If you check the room everything else is destroyed except the area I was lying on. I could feel your emotions the most distinguishable was you need to protect me even from yourself. Its no wonder I love you so much, how can I not?"

Harry of course hadn't noticed this at first but he could live with it if his first instinct was keeping Draco safe. They lay on the bed for while just kissing and touching. Harry didn't want to get up but he had to if he was going to get ready on time. He was after all the best man. He made sure Draco had everything he needed before he left.

He knew he would not be able to get George easily as he would be on alert for anything. He went to Teddy who was playing with his cousins while he waited for his grandma to get him dressed and ready. " Hey Teddy!" Teddy looked up saw Harry and ran straight for him shouting for all to hear "Harry!" Harry saw George cowering behind a door and gave him an evil smirk before saying "You won't see it coming bruv, it' just a matter of time." He turned back to Teddy and said in a whisper "Teddy do you remember when you first showed Grandma splashing?" Teddy nodded and Harry caught a worried look in George's eye but he continued "Ok I want you to show George over there and get him soaked except I want you to splash into the other room where he can't see you. Don't do it now wait until I tell you to ok?" Teddy smiled and said "okay"

Andy came into the room a few minutes later to get Teddy. Harry was sitting on the couch waiting for Ron. He then winked at Teddy who smiled as that was the signal, George had relaxed when it seemed Teddy wasn't Harry's weapon of vengeance. So when Teddy yelled George save me from grandma she wants to put me in a penguin suit." George didn't think anything of it. He reached out to pick Teddy up and pretend to run with him. But instead of getting a hold of him his arm went through Teddy and before he knew it he was slashed from head to toe with water and Teddy was gone.

The first thing he did was panic. Teddy ha seemed to melt into a puddle of water right in from of him but then he heard the laughter and the clicking of a camera meaning there would be pictures of the event. Teddy splashed back in front of him and he gaped like a fish. "How did you do that Teddy? That was awesome." Teddy replied "Harry taught me." George looked at Harry and said "can you teach me?" Harry shook his heard and said "If I could I would teach everyone I care about, you have to be an elemental to learn or be connected to one like Teddy is to me."

George looked disappointed but said "So it's not just fire you can use to travel?" Harry shook his head and said "No, I control five elements five ways of travel, that's earth, water, fire, air, and lightning." George smiled and said how would you travel through earth? Do you burrow your way underground or what?" With a smile Harry looked like he was melting until he was just a puddle on the ground then it seeped into the floor. Right next to George a huge flower began to grow until it was taller than George and when it blossomed Harry stepped out of it and said "Ta da." Harry me and you and to sit down some time and discuss what you learnt on your travels."


	13. Chapter 13

That evening before Ron and Hermione were due to leave, Pansy approached Harry. He was talking to Charlie who was telling him that he was considering moving away from Romania. He couldn't keep working in such a dangerous environment now that he had a family to look after. She stopped in front of the two men before speaking. "Hey Potter!" Harry looked away from Charlie to see Pansy standing in front of them. "Parkinson!, It's been a while I didn't realise you were here today. How've you been?" Harry was looking around to see if Malfoy had come with her. He decided if he was going to keep the names straight in head then he'd refer to his Draco as Draco/Dray and his ex as Malfoy. "Did Malfoy come too?"

Pansy smiled and said "Oh I'm fine and Draco didn't come, not after what the happy couple did to him and Blasé after you left. I think there is too much bad blood between them to be able to function in the same room without a fight breaking out." Harry had a look of confusion on his face. "What did the happy couple do to them?" Pansy was a bit shocked as she said "You mean you don't know?" Harry was getting annoyed "If I didn't I wouldn't be asking." Pansy looked into his eyes and saw he was being sincere. And told him. "Well after you left, Weasley was furious. He beat up Draco breaking most of the bones in his body, he was in a comma for three days. I suppose in a way it was merciful he was out cold Madame Pomfrey had to spell a lot of skel gro into him to mend the bones. Hermione cast a spell on Blasé that buggered him every ten minutes for six months before she told anyone what the spell was that she used. It took another two months to counter it." Harry was horrified. No-one had told him this, probably because they knew he would be furious.

He hadn't noticed Hermione arrive just as Pansy finished her tale. "You know that's not the way it happened. I may have been pissed off and avenged my best friend but it was Zabini's own blatant racism that caused him to suffer. It wasn't my fault they couldn't identify the spells. It was just a transfiguration and a household spell house wives use to make cake mix. A simple finite would have undone it but they were all intent on finding a more complicated way of undoing the spell. I didn't intentionally leave him with the spell on for six months, Ron and I spent that time trying to track Harry down."

She turned to look at Harry and continued "You were always so depressed and refused to tell us where you were when you did decide to contact us. When someone actually approached me and asked me I told them what spells I used Zabini threw me out of his home and said he did not need the help of an uppity mudblood , so I left him to himself. As for Ron beating up Malfoy you know what his temper is like and I can see that it was a bit over the top but I can't quite bring myself to feel sorry for him after the stunt he pulled."

Pansy could see the sincerity in Hermione's eyes. She reflected to when she had been helping Blasé. He had told her that Hermione had refused to give him the reversal spell and that he was going to sue her. Unfortunately for him his lawsuit fell through due to the fact that Hermione was a war hero and Blasé had no proof of his claims that she had deliberately withheld the reversal causing him harm. Blasé's mother had disappeared from their mansion leaving Blasé in debt. Pansy began to realise what must have happened. Blase assumed if he could sue Hermione he might be able solve some of his money problems. If she didn't have the money he knew that Potter would pay it. But things didn't go according to plan. In fact they backfired on him. Draco had paid his hospital bills in the end and set him up with a smaller house but that was the extent of his kindness. He was dumped like yesterday's garbage and Pansy had not seen him since.

Pansy looked at Hermione and said "I'm sorry, I didn't realise what happened to Blasé all those months wasn't deliberate on your part. I believed Blasé when he said it was." Hermione nodded at Pansy and realised she had never really talked to the girl. The only reason she was there was because she was dating one of Ron's friends, Justin Fletchley. It had come as a surprise as they had only been dating for a week.

Pansy turned back to Harry and said "Look Potter, Draco is driving me insane. He wants to know if you have any intention of replying the owl he sent you." That was when Harry remembered the owl that morning that had been waiting when he went into the kitchen for breakfast. He had read it and left it on the kitchen counter without thinking. Draco had walked after his shower and seen it. The note was asking for a rendezvous after the wedding and had been signed yours Draco.

Harry watched as Draco's features darkened when he saw the note. He got up from his chair and tried to put his arms around Draco but Draco pulled away. That was the first time he had done that since they met. Harry felt pain and fear of losing Draco in his heart. His feelings were clearly written on his face and when Draco saw he had hurt Harry his face softened and he walked back into Harry's arms.

"I'm sorry I reacted like that. It's just that of all the people that I know, if anyone could take you away from me it would be him." Harry relaxed a little bit before saying "That's not true. He doesn't stand a chance even before you came here I was resolved to letting him go and moving on with my life. I spent a long time trying to figure out what I had done wrong to push him away. I finally realised that no matter what I could have said or done it would have been the same result eventually. Something was missing in our relationship and I think that I've found it with you." That made Draco smile and kiss Harry before telling him to get a move on or he would be late.

Frowning Harry asked Pansy "What does he want?" Pansy just shrugged and said "You're better off asking him. So what's it going to be?" Harry said "Tell him fine he can meet me here in an hour before I leave. If he doesn't show up I'm not waiting around." Pansy left after congratulating Hermione and wishing her well.

Harry was just hugging the happy couple before they left for their honeymoon when he noticed Draco waiting outside the tent that had been set up for the day. When people started to apparrate out, Harry walked up to Draco. The differences between the two Draco were much more distinguishable to harry. He found despite the similarities he no longer felt like such a slave to his feelings around him anymore. It was a liberating feeling and Harry relished it. Now all he wanted to do was get this little meeting over so he could go home to his lover. "Malfoy what can I do for you?"

XxxXxx

Draco felt elated when Pansy sent him a message telling him that Harry had said to come and see him. He quickly got dressed and made sure he was looking and smelling good. At the allotted hour he arrived at the Weasley's just in time to watch Harry saying goodbye to the happy couple and the rest of his friends. He watched Harry approach him, just the sight of him was making him drool. What had he been thinking when he broke up with him? It was time to rectify that mistake. However Harry's tone of voice did very little to encourage him when he spoke "Malfoy, what can I do for you?" Again with the Malfoy. He decided to put a stop to it there and then "You can call me Draco you know, it's not like we still have our childhood hood rivalry."

Harry sighed impatiently and said "What do you want Malfoy, I want to go home, I have someone waiting up for me." Draco decided to just say it "I want you back Harry. I realise that you might be upset over the way we split up and you have every right to be, I just wanted to say I'm sorry and if I could take it back and undo it I would but I can't. I still have feelings for you and I have never really wanted anyone else the same way I do you. Please Harry say you will consider giving us a chance." Harry actually felt sorry for Draco. There was a point in time when he would have done almost anything to hear those words coming from the blond. It was a dark time in his life but he didn't need them anymore. He was happy with his lot and he would not allow anything to jeopardise that.

"I'm sorry Malfoy, I've moved on from you. I've fallen in love with someone else."

XxxXxx

Harry flashed away leaving Draco standing there hearing "I'm sorry Malfoy, I've moved on from you. I've fallen in love with someone else." over and over in his head. Pansy who had been waiting close by took his hand apparated him home. He seemed to be in shock. She figured he would talk when he was ready and helped him get ready for bed. It wasn't until he was lying down that the tears came. He was too late. In his own arrogance he had assumed nobody got over him and even if they did they would want him back as soon as he had shown interest. Harry had clearly moved on and didn't want him. He didn't like that feeling.

XxxXxx


	14. Chapter 14

Harry flashed away leaving Draco standing there hearing "I'm sorry Malfoy, I've moved on from you. I've fallen in love with someone else." over and over in his head. Pansy who had been waiting close by took his hand apparated him home. He seemed to be in shock. She figured he would talk when he was ready and helped him get ready for bed. It wasn't until he was lying down that the tears came. He was too late. In his own arrogance he had assumed nobody got over him and even if they did they would want him back as soon as he had shown interest. Harry had clearly moved on and didn't want him. He didn't like that feeling.

XxxXxx

Back at Grimmauld place Harry flashed in the living room where he sensed Draco. He found him asleep on the couch with the telly still on. Harry quietly turned it off and flashed Draco to bed in the new room they had used that morning. He hadn't had time to fix the master suite he was using, he would deal with it in the daylight. Draco didn't wake up when Harry got into bed beside him and Harry just watched him sleep till he too fell into the world of dreams.

In the morning Draco was the first to wake up. He noticed he wasn't on the couch anymore and Harry must have brought him to bed. He was wrapped around Harry as usual and that gave him a feeling of happiness. His thoughts lingered to the missive from the day before, he would be lying if he said that he wasn't worried despite Harry's reassurance. When he looked at himself he only saw flaws. All the damage done by the fighting he'd had to do had not left him looking his best. Why would Harry want him when he a perfectly better version of him around?

Harry woke up feeling emotions that were not his own. At first he was worried that it was Teddy, but when he checked the connection he could tell Teddy was asleep. Someone else was projecting their own emotions to him. There was only one other person whose emotions he could sense and that was Draco. He could feel self loathing, doubt and others he couldn't quite place. He opened his eyes to find Draco's eyes on him shimmering with tears. He reached out his hand and stroked his face while asking "What's wrong love?" Draco shut his eyes to stop the tears from falling. He leaned into Harry's touch and cuddled closer but he didn't say anything. He didn't want to tell Harry his doubts because he didn't want him to see the truth in them and then eventually decide that he was wasting his time. The more he didn't say anything the bigger the issue seemed. He murmured before getting up "I need the bathroom."

He left a confused Harry in bed and shut himself in the bathroom. The time apart from Harry the day before had allowed his misgivings to take root and as the day progressed despite Harry fulfilling his promise to pop by every so often he only saw it as Harry filling in some misguided obligation. He wasn't sure what to do.

He thought back to when he had been brought to this world. Everything he and Harry had done. Their intimate moments were always short lived. Harry always stopped them before going any further. He was sure that Harry must care for him somewhat as he had been taking care of him but why did he never want to go all the way with him? Was he just passing time till he could get back with the other Draco? Harry mentioned that it was his counterpart that broke up with him. Draco was sat on the bathroom floor, head resting on his bent knees, doubts floating in his head and getting more and more ridiculous the longer he dwelt on them.

XxxXxx

Harry sat up in bed. The feelings of doubt coming from Draco were getting worse. He wondered what brought this on. How was he supposed to fix it. He practically jumped out of the bed when he began to sense despair from him and knocked on the door. Draco didn't answer and Harry began to panic. "Draco! Draco, are you okay?" When Harry didn't get a response he tried opening the door but it was locked. He flashed into the room instead of trying to get the door open.

He found Draco on the floor of the bathroom holding a small knife that looked like it had been transfigured. He had a few cuts on his hand and they were bleeding onto the floor. Harry grabbed a towel and knelt by Draco's side took the knife from Draco and didn't encounter any resistance then wrapped the towel around the injured arm. "Draco what are you doing?" Harry was alarmed when he looked into Draco's unfocused eyes. He quickly unlocked the door then picked Draco up and laid him on the bed. He used a spell to heal the cuts Draco had inflicted on himself then cast a sleeping spell on him before fire calling the healer who had helped him before.

XxxXxx

What Harry didn't know was that at that exact moment in Malfoy manor Draco's counterpart was sat on his bathroom floor with a similar knife in his hand and had similar cuts. Harry's rejection had hit him harder than he realised. He had assumed that Harry would want him back despite their past. They were compatible even he knew that back then, that was why Harry had been the only real relationship he had ever had. He had not thought how he would feel if Harry fell in love with someone else. All this time he had been content in the knowledge that Harry had not been with anyone else and even if he did it was not serious. It was a little insurance he had sub consciously held onto in case he ever wanted the boy back.

Pansy had stayed with Draco after she brought him back from seeing Potter. She could tell that he was not taking the result of that meeting very well. What she did not expect to find when she went looking for Draco was to find him bleeding all over his bathroom floor. Taking charge she vanished the knife with her wand then cleaned and healed his cuts. His unfocused eyes told her she would not get a coherent word out of him if she tried. She was relieved when he didn't resist her moving him out of the bathroom. Hitting him with a sleep spell she went to the floo and contacted her boyfriend Justin. She needed him to bring Potter so he could fix this. It was his fault after all.

XxxXxx

Harry stood by the side of the bed where Draco lay while the healer cast his charms. Harry was feeling impatient and the healer could practically taste it, he decided to give Harry some news before he got his head bitten off. "My lord, my scan is not showing anything wrong physically however I found two connections to him. An empathy link, linked to you and himself although it is not the him lying on this bed. It is very confusing. It's as if he is in two places at once. One of them is failing, it is not yet clear which one but if a solution is not found soon they will both die."


	15. Chapter 15

Harry felt his world crumble at these words. He felt weak kneed and fell into the chair that was luckily behind him or he would have landed on the floor. He couldn't lose Draco no he didn't think he would survive it. He felt memories that were not his own rush into his head. Everything Draco described that happened in the other universe flooded his mind. Things the other Harry had learned that he didn't. Promises made under the stars between him and Draco. Gifts given, vows made. Harry vaguely heard someone calling him but it seemed far away at the moment. He was immersed in a memory where he made a promise to after Draco had told him about his insecurities.

He remembered holding Draco's face up when he had looked down and said "Draco, look at me." When Draco looked into Harry's eyes he continued "I promise I will always tell you how much I love you, how much you mean to me. I know you don't think you deserve it but you do and for as long as it is in my power, I will never leave you I promise." It was a promise he had made sure to keep. This was the final part of the ritual he cast to save Draco. The part that Harry himself had adjusted but his counterpart had not.

If Draco was going to live Harry had to allow a full merge with his counter part's consciousness the same thing had to happen with Draco and his counterpart. It was his choice. If he refused Draco would die, if he agreed he would lose himself. He knew it had not kicked in before because he needed to bond Draco. The rejection of the other Draco had an effect on that bond because he was inherently the same person. Everything had been accelerated because of it. It was supposed to have happened gradually the same way Harry's essence had been absorbed.

Harry opened his eyes to find a worried George sitting in a chair beside his bed. Clearly someone had placed him in a bed. He sat up and jumped out of bed with Draco's name on his lips. George didn't get a chance to react before Harry was out the door headed straight for Draco's room.

Draco was still lying in the bed he left him but now Pansy was in the room. She looked up when she heard him come in. "What are you doing here Parkinson?" Pansy looked at him and said "I was at the Weasleys with Justin looking for you, when a house elf arrived to get help. We were told that you were out cold and to my surprise that Draco was with you. I was confused as I had left Draco in his bed at Malfoy manor. I'm trying to understand how he can be here and there at the same time. It's obvious that that is not the same Draco I see everyday day and it has been over an hour since I sat in here so it's not polyjuice. There is no glamour on him so unless there is some big secret about a twin that Draco has failed to let me in on, I would be very appreciative if you could shed some light seeing as he is in your care."

Harry cast a time spell and realised he had been out cold for the better part of an hour and a half. George had followed him into the room and seemed to be waiting on him, making Harry realise that perhaps his two friends hadn't quite told the others like they said they would or George had just missed it. "Look explanations can wait there's no time, if we wait any longer Draco will die, both of them. Pansy can you bring Draco here?" Pansy seemed like she wanted to argue but Harry cut her off. "Pansy in less than half an hour they will both be dead we don't have time for explanations and arguments trust me just this once. I will tell you everything just not now."

Pansy said "Fine I'll bring Draco but you better explain later Potter." Pansy called a house elf just as Harry moved Draco to one side of the bed leaving space on the other side for the other Draco. He grabbed his wand and waited till the house elf brought Draco and laid him on the bed. Harry began to draw runes around the two and infused them with magic. Both Dracos and Harry were engulfed in a light that made it impossible to see through. When it cleared half an hour later there was only one Draco on the bed sleeping peacefully and Harry on the floor not looking so good. George picked Harry up and spoke to Pansy at the same time "Can go get the healer he said to call him when Harry woke up he is downstairs talking to my mother." Pansy didn't argue. She did as she was told after checking to see that Draco was okay.

XxxXxx

Whent the bright light cleared, Harry found himself in very familiar room. He had spent a lot of time in this room while he was at Hogwarts. He felt very nostalgic seeing his old common room in Gryffindor tower. A familiar voice to his left spoke I know how you feel. This place has fond memories for me too. It also has bad ones mainly during the time Hogwarts was destroyed." Harry saw himself standing in front of him. He realised he must be in his head. He had completed the rest of the ritual and expected to be different so what was going on now?. The other Harry seemed to know what he was thinking and explained "When you completed the rest of my ritual to save Draco I know you were expecting to give yourself up, but that is not possible. We are one and the same just like both of our Dracos. Having two Dracos would have eventually caused some kind of paradox and if we are not merged I have to live imprisoned in your head for the rest of our natural lives unable to communicate with anyone including you.

I have been trying to get in contact with you ever since my essence combined with yours. The thing neither of us understood about that ritual is that your essence is actually your soul. I actually didn't realise my consciousness would cross over too. Quite a gross miscalculation don't you think?" Harry could only stare. He had had the same idea so he could not condemn the other Harry but he had to fix this somehow so he said "Okay so what do we do now?"


	16. Chapter 16

Harry two smiled and said "Well there are two options we merge and either you have motor control or I do. The second option is the merge mixes us both up into someone new. It would be combining our memories to make one person, we would need to rebuild our defences to make them mesh. The downside to the second option is that it will make you different in everyone else's eyes, hopefully your experiences will temper my hardened nature and just make you more cautious. You will also have access to the magical abilities that I acquired while in my world such as empathy, and precognition. I suspect there are others but I never had the time to find out."

Harry just nodded and said "Ok second option it is." Reaching out and touching each other's hand they began to meld together. Harry found himself inside the walls of his defences. They were crumbling down. Everything turned into a ruin and Harry realised how much work he had to do. Metaphorically rolling up his sleeves he set to work looking at his memories and reorganising them.

To Harry it felt like he had been organising both sets of his memories for a long time. The landscape in his mind was no longer cluttered. He had rebuilt it to look like some of the magical market places he had been to. It was a mix and match so much so that if someone did ever manage to break into his mind they would never be able to make head nor tail of it. Different nationalities selling their wares different products he had seen some even he did not understand what they were but the whole point of this defence was to protect his memories.

After what could have been days or weeks Harry had finished synchronising the two sets of memories. The other Harry was right the differences in experiences would alter his behaviour. He wasn't sure how things would go but he hoped that whatever happened Draco would be there with him. He pulled his consciousness out of his mind to return back to reality. He found it difficult getting back to reality.

He felt very sluggish and his eyes wouldn't open. He did however hear voices around him talking. One of them was Ron's voice having a go at someone. "It's been months and he hasn't woken up yet and its all that ferret's fault. If Harry had not been trying to save him then none of this would have happened. Harry was finally happy. He was getting his life back together and then the ferret decided to barge into his life again. It's as if he is only happy when Harry is down."

Harry could hear Hermione's voice trying to calm him down. However he had stopped listening as soon as Ron's words sank into his brain. Months? He had been reorganising his mind for months? What about Draco where was he? Was he okay? He redoubled his efforts to bypass the sluggy feeling trying to pull him back under and managed to open his heavy lidded eyes. He squinted against the light as it shone in his retinas but he kept them open they would adjust. He saw Ron and Hermione sitting on chairs next to his bed. The room he was in was the white that could only be found in a hospital so it was probably safe to bet that's where he was.

A groan from him alerted the other two people in the room that he was awake. Hermione shot up and quickly closed the short distance between her and the bed shouting "Harry!" Then turning to Ron and saying "Go get a healer in here now, Harry is awake." She held Harry's hand and Harry could see tears falling from her eyes and relief written all over her face.

"Oh Harry I was beginning to think you would never wake up. It's been nearly four months since you've been in a comma. The healers tried everything they could think of to wake you up but they couldn't. Your magic blocked them from doing any magic on you. We've had to resort to muggle methods to keep you fed and clean. Harry blushed at what that implied. He squeezed Hermione's hand and tried to speak but he only managed one word "Draco…"

Hermione seemed to understand what he meant. He is always here. I managed to get him to agree to go walking outside once in a while for an hour just to get some fresh air he should be back any minute now. He won't leave if there is no-one to stay here with you. She was running her fingers through his hair as she spoke. You have a lot of explaining to do when you are well enough." The healer came through the door just then and checked Harry over. He was no longer blocked and cast a diagnosis which came back looking good. Harry would be fine in a few days he would need phsysio therapy as he hadn't moved in a long time but otherwise nothing else was wrong with him, mainly due to the potions he was being fed through a drip.

XxxXxx

Draco walked back to Harry's room in St Mungos. Harry had not woken up when he did. He had been confused at first because all he could remember was being in the bathroom getting feelings come through him from somewhere making him doubt Harry's intentions. When he met his other self for the merge they had talked for a bit about what they thought was happening but before they could finish they found themselves merging and then not long after waking up. He was confused at first as he seemed to have two sets of memories but he spent a few hours everyday re-organising his mind.

He was confused at first as he seemed to have two sets of memories but he spent a few hours every day organising his mind. He also spent the rest of his time beside Harry's bed. He was worried about how Harry would react when he woke up. Would he still want him after merging with his counterpart especially after their history. He decided he would accept whatever Harry decided. He wouldn't blame him if he wanted out. He had seen his counterpart's memories and what he was like. The remembered the conceit, the shallowness, self-absorption. It was like the opposite of his own nature.

When he walked into Harry's room he saw him sitting up talking to Granger and the Healer just walking out. He stopped in the doorway unsure if he would be welcome. However he found his fears groundless when Harry saw him and the look he got was a cross between relief and happiness.

Harry could help but feel happy when he saw Draco. He beckoned him to his bedside, he wanted to see for himself that he was ok. Hermione moved aside as Draco approached and sat down on the bed right next Harry. Harry pulled Draco into a hug that knocked out his breathe. "I thought I would lose you for a while there." Harry was running his fingers through Draco's hair as he spoke.

Draco looked healthier than he remembered him being. There wasn't too much of a change more like a cross between how the two looked like. Harry was sure that the runes would leave an imprint of both Dracos but he didn't care. As long he was fine. "We have a lot talk about." Draco nodded his agreement and said "I was afraid you wouldn't want me anymore." Pulling back just enough to look Draco in the eye Harry answered "Draco ! I wouldn't have done what I did if I didn't want you. I love you. Nothing is going to change that." With a smile on his face Draco said "I love you too Harry."

XxxXxx


	17. Chapter 17

Harry was glad that his friends were accepting of Draco. Of cause Ron found it more difficult than everyone else but he seemed to be getting used to keeping it to himself and Harry was thankful for that. Pansy surprised Harry the most. He wasn't sure how to take it when he had come across her telling Draco that he better not think about continuing his previous lifestyle of debauchery with anything on two legs or she would castrate him herself. As soon as she finished saying that, her whole demeanour changed and as she congratulated him for finally growing up.

XxxXxx

Two years later…

"Harry hurry up you gonna be late." Ron's voice sounded from outside Harry's room where he getting dressed. A final check in the mirror showed him he was ready. It was his and Draco's wedding day. He was so nervous his hands were shaking a little. He cast a cooling charm to stop the sweat that threatened to appear, it wouldn't do to get married looking like he had just run a marathon.

Harry and Draco were getting married in Hawaii. Draco had wanted a lavish wedding and if Harry had let him half of the wizarding world would have been invited. They had compromised. Harry would agree to the lavish wedding instead of the simple one he wanted but Draco had to agree to inviting friends and family only. They would hire a photographer and send some of the pictures to the Daily Prophet afterwards. Their compromise meant that they both had something they wanted of their day.

As soon as Harry saw Draco all his nerves disappeared. He knew this was what he wanted and there was nothing he wanted more. He couldn't wait to be married to Draco and to spend the rest of their lives together.

XxxXxx

fin


End file.
